Jammu, June 29: The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Congress on Monday staged a protest here against the rise in petrol and diesel prices and demanded that the government roll back the hikes immediately to relieve the people of the "extra burden".

Led by former minister and Pradesh Congress Committee vice president Raman Bhalla, scores of party activists and leaders assembled outside the party headquarters at Shaheedi Chowk and later took out a march. Also Read | Lucknow District Court to Remain Closed for Two Days After Detection of a COVID-19 Case: Live News Breaking & Coronavirus Updates on June 29, 2020.

The protesters headed to the office of the Jammu Deputy Commissioner at Wazarat Road and submitted a memorandum addressed to the President of India, party spokesperson Ravinder Sharma said. The protest was organised as part of a nationwide call given by the Congress to express the anger of the people against the rising prices of essential commodities. Also Read | Chardham Yatra 2020 from July 1: Uttarakhand Chardham Devasthanam Board Issues Guidelines for Pilgrims.

"Similar protests were also organised at district headquarters across Jammu region,” he said. In a symbolic protest, the party workers rode two horse carts and raised slogans against the central government.

Prominent among others who participated in the rally included former minister and district president Jammu urban Yogesh Sawhney, vice president Kanta Bhan, General secretary Manmohan Singh, Congress Corporators of Jammu and leaders of Mahila Congress, youth Congress , NSUI and  Seva Dal activists, Sharma said.

Sharma accused the central government of putting extra burden on the people by raising fuel prices amid the coronavirus crisis. "The unprecedented hike is unjustified at a time when the prices of crude oil are at their lowest," he said.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)